Sinking
by teenwalkingdeadwolves
Summary: Sarah is sinking into the darkness and she doesn't know how to find her way back to the surface. When she meets the boy across the street does he help her float or pull her down even further? Jack/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Sarah POV**

I creep back in through my bedroom window via the drain pipe and slide it shut behind me. It's 2AM. I just had to get out of there though. My parents are not the people you want to be living with but lately things have gotten worse...

Every night they binge out on alcohol and various types of drugs before having a screaming fit that shakes the foundations of our old house. Andrew (my older brother) used to come and sit with me in my room until they stopped shouting and passed out or left to disappear for a few days but he hasn't talked to me for a week now.

"And where have you been?" A sly voice echoes from the corner of my room.

"Out" I state, I know it's my mum and I know she's completely pissed but I'm fed up of this now.

"listen mum, I'm fed-" I start

"No, you listen you little bitch. I don't like you, actually I don't think anybody likes you and nobody ever will, but you are living under MY roof and I am YOUR mother so you tell me when you're going out... Slut" My mother rages before slamming my bedroom door shut.

That's the first time she's ever personally victimized me. Normally it's just her shouting at my dad and him shouting back and maybe they slap each other a couple of times but she's never actually come and said anything to me.

I creep along our creaky hallway to Andrew's door "Andrew? Can I talk to you?"

"No, fuck off bitch." His voice lacks any emotion and I can't see his face but I imagine it's blank. Andrew never swears, he's normally such a nice, caring person... but so were my parents 2 years ago.

I slip back into my room and crawl under my thin duvet, shiver as the cold seeps through the wall panels.

The next morning the sunlight is creeping through my small window and spreading throughout the room. Although it's sunny I know it's freezing outside. Autumn has gone and winter is finally here.

I used to love winter. Christmas, New Years; it was great but now with my parents getting drunk and Andrew ignoring me it's going to be awful.

Knowing that my parents are still asleep after passing out last night I take a quick shower and clean my teeth. I towel dry my wavy brown hair and then leave it to dry naturally seeing as I don't own a hair dryer.

I pull on my ripped, black skinny jeans and a top before shoving my feet into my old Doc Martins and tiptoeing down the stairs.

"Where are you going? Did I not tell you last night?" My mother's voice sounds from the hallway.

"I was just going to tell you-" I begin to lie

"YOU LIAR! I TOLD YOU LAST NIGHT THAT WHILE YOU ARE LIVING HERE YOU OBEY MY RULES!" My mother screams

"I'm sorry" I whisper

"You're not sorry" she snarls before slapping me hard across the face "I'll make you sorry" Suddenly I'm shoved backwards down the stairs. My head thwacks against the bottom step and I feel my ribs begin to bruise.

My mother makes her way down the stairs and I struggle to get up and back away. The next slap splits open my lip and the following one hits my cheekbone and I fall to the ground.

She walks back up the stairs and doesn't give me a second glance.

I stumble out of the front door into the crisp morning air and shiver. Every breath I take makes it feel like someone's stabbing me in the ribs. I must have really upset mum. Dabbing at my lip with one hand I reach into my thin, jacket pocket and find some loose change.

I might have about 50 cent in my pocket but that's it. I don't even have a phone. I stare at my feet as I shuffle along the pavement which is thick with frost. I don't see the person in front of me and I'm guessing they didn't see me because next thing I know I'm sitting on my ass on the hard pavement.

I look up to see a startled boy with messy dirty-blonde hair staring down at me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sarah POV**

"I'm so sorry." The boy quickly regains his composure and offers me his hand. "I'm Jack Mercer, I live down the street."

"Sarah Fisher, I live down the street too. How come I've never seen you before?" I ask

The boy shrugs still staring at me. It's making me feel kind of self-conscious, do I have something on my face? Oh yeah, that's right I do. Shit.

"Um, are you okay?" The boy- Jack asks me.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." I lie. My ribs are really hurting and my head is beginning to throb.

"Jack? Who's this young woman you're tormenting?" An elderly woman calls the boy from the veranda a couple of houses down.

"Ma, I'm not tormenting anyone." Jack grumbles, his cheeks flushing a light shade of pink.

"Well are you going to invite her in after knocking her over or are you just gonna stand there?" The white-haired woman teased the boy with a kind-hearted smile.

"I-I really shouldn't." I mumble

"Nonsense, it's only 8am nowhere around here will be open yet." The woman sass'. I let out a defeated breath of air and follow Jack into the house, wincing as I climb the veranda steps.

"Sit down, sit down. I'm Evelyn Mercer but you can call me Miss Evie." The woman says to me.

"I'm Sarah Fisher." I reply. Jack sits down opposite me at the table as Miss Evie offers me a hot cup of tea. I gratefully accept it.

"Now Sarah are you gonna tell us how you hurt yourself like this?" Miss Evie asks me whilst busying herself with making some toast.

"Uh, I-I um tripped and fell down the stairs." I stammer. I'm no good at lying. I can tell the woman saw right through my lie but she doesn't say anything.

"Well lets put some ice on the cheek then, stop it from bruising so badly." Miss Evie smiles. "Jack, will you get the first aid kit from the bathroom please?"

"Sure Ma." Jack replies, scraping back his chair as he gets up and disappears around the corner.

"Are you actually his mother?" I ask Miss Evie

She chuckles at my question "No, I adopted Jack. He's the youngest."

I look at her, mentally willing her to explain about the other family members but she doesn't say anything else.

"Mornin' Ma, what's for breakfast?" A tired looking guy of about 22 stumbles into the kitchen. "Who's this?"

"This is Sarah Fisher. She lives down the road and she fell down the stairs this morning. Jack has gone to get the first aid kit to patch her up." Miss Evie smiles. "Sarah this is Bobby, my eldest son."

Miss Evie chuckles again at my confused expression "He's also adopted."

"Hello Bobby, it's nice to meet you." I mumble. My mother always used to remind me to be polite and I don't want to earn myself another beating that I know I'll deserve.

Bobby smiles at me and Jack returns with a green box full of anti-septic, band aids, bandages etc.

"This might hurt a bit. Sorry." Jack whispers to me, smiling sadly at me with his grey/blue eyes. He pours some anti-septic onto a piece of cotton wool and begins to dab at the cut on my lip.

I wince at the sting but it isn't too bad. Nothing like how I got the cut in the first place. I know I deserved it though, I should be more respectful towards my mother.

Next Jack cleans up the cut on my cheek.

"Wow, that is gonna bruise bad." Bobby states, staring intently at my face. "So, how did you fall down the stairs?"

"I uh tripped..." I mumble

**Jack POV**

"I uh tripped..." Sarah mumbles. It's so obvious she's lying, I used that excuse for years when the teachers asked my what happened to my eye. They just wrote me off as a clumsy kid but I can see it in this girl. The inner pain she's fighting as well as the exterior pain.

I went through it too, but I had no one to help me. I'm going to make sure she has someone.

I glance up at Bobby, he's staring down at Sarah whilst she picks at her finger nails obviously uncomfortable with the question.

"Leave the poor girl alone." Ma scolds Bobby, playfully hitting him with the dishcloth she's holding. "Help me make some breakfast. Sarah do you want anything?"

"No thank you Miss Evie." Sarah replies, taking a sip of her tea.

"Alright sweetie but make sure you eat something later. You look awfully thin." Ma tells Sarah. She smiles.

"I'll be fine, I'm not hungry."

"How old are you?" I ask after Ma has gone back to teaching Bobby how to cook.

"16" Sarah replies looking up at me. A few of her dark, brown waves fall across her face and I reach over to push them out-of-the-way. "How about you?"

"16, Bobby's 22" I reply. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"A brother, he's 11 months older than me but-" She stops herself.

"But what?" I ask softly, there's obviously something wrong.

"Nothing, I really should get going." She replies, quickly standing up from her seat and thanking Ma for the tea.

"It's ok sweetie, pop round whenever you want I'm sure Jack would love to have someone his own age to hang out with." Ma tells Sarah. "Are you going to show out our guest Jack?"

"Uh, yeah" I reply, leading Sarah towards the old door and opening it for her. I walk out onto the veranda with her. "Are you gonna be alright?" I ask

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Sarah replies, letting her hair fall to cover her face.

"Just- Come round whenever you need anything. You can talk to me." I say smiling at her. I know how she feels. She doesn't want people to know about somebody abusing her, she's embarrassed and she blames herself; so I don't push her.

"Ok, I will." Sarah replies, brushing her hair out of her face and smiling at me with her soft pink lips that stand out against her paper-white skin. The cold has flushed her cheeks a light shade of pink and her breath comes out in little puffs of white steam.

"I'll see ya around?" I ask questioningly.

"Yeah" Sarah replies before carefully walking down the steps and along the street.

**A/N: So we finally met Jack. By the way if you haven't caught on this is pre-movie. **


	3. Chapter 3

**JACK POV**

"No way did she fucking fall down the stairs!" Bobby exclaims as I walk back into the kitchen.

"Language Bobby." Ma scolds "She didn't want to tell us so we can't force her too."

"Did you see how skinny she was though?! I mean her parents obviously aren't feeding her and you just let her go? Ma?!" Bobby says exasperatedly.

"Ma's right Bobby." I say, slumping down at the table.

"What?! Jack you of all people should agree with me!" Bobby shouts.

"If we push her to do something she doesn't want to do, she won't trust us and she'll never want to tell us anything." I state.

"Oh, well..." Bobby mumbles, taking his place at the head of the table.

Bobby's shouting obviously woke up Angel and Jeremiah as they come stumbling down the stairs like a couple of elephants let loose from the zoo.

"What's all the shouting about?" Angel asks me.

"Nothing, Bobby's just being a hot head." I reply.

"And you're just being a dick mouth." Bobby grumbles. I roll my eyes, Bobby's always insinuating that I'm gay. I guess it's because I'm youngest and weakest.

"Breakfast is ready boys." Ma smiles, setting down the food.

* * *

**Sarah POV**

It's been two weeks since I ran into Jack Mercer. Mum has hit me more regularly and sometimes my dad throws in a few punches. Andrew never says anything but it isn't his fault I'm upsetting our parents.

"SARAH! Get your fat ass downstairs now!" My mother shouts from the lounge. She hasn't been drinking today and I haven't seen my father around.

"I heard that you've been round the Mercer's house recently. Why didn't you tell me? Did you tell them something?" She snarls.

"No no no-no no, I, they, Jack he-" I'm cut off by my mother's hand slapping me, hard, across the face. I feel a few tears slide down my cheek and I turn to face her again.

"Oh, so you're on first name bases?" She laughs "That's nice, isn't it?"

I don't reply, I just continue to stare at my shoes.

"Answer me you fat bitch!" She shouts "I can't believe I got stuck white the fattest, ugliest, bitchiest fucking daughter on the earth!"

She hits me hard repeatedly until I fall to the floor crying out as my head hits the wood. She begins kicking me and picks up and bottle of vodka off the coffee table. She drains the last few drops in the bottle before smashing it in half against the coffee table.

I flinch away from the glass shards and try to drag myself away from her.

"I'm sorry mum, I'm so sorry. I'm such a bad daughter." I chant.

"Lets cut this fat of!" my mum snarls, pouncing on me and pulling up my top. The tears are now pouring down my face and I scream as she cuts my stomach. I feel the warm blood gush out of the wound. I don't think she cut too deep but as I try to sit up she smacks me with the broken end if the bottle and my cheek begins to bleed.

"Shut up bitch." She shouts.

"Please, please don't hurt me anymore mum. I'm sorry." I whisper, the tears pouring down my cheeks.

* * *

**Jack POV**

I haven't seen or hear from Sarah since that morning three weeks ago. She's occupied my mind ever since the. I decide that I'm going to pop round to get house and make sure she's alright.

"Ma, I'm going to see if Sarah's alright." I tell her.

"Alright but be careful it's dark out. Take Bobby with you." Ma replies.

"You make me sound like a guard dog." Bobby grumbles, following me out the door.

"That's because you're a mongrel." I laugh at his stony expression.

Together we begin to make our way down the street towards Sarah's house. She lives in an old house, it doesn't look like it will stand up by itself for much longer. As we reach the veranda I hear Sarah's frantic voice.

"Please, please Mum! Please don't do this!" She cries.

Bobby and I rush towards the door but it's locked.

"Sarah! Sarah are you there? Are you okay?" I shout.

"Jack?" She croaks. A second later she lets out a high-pitched scream.

"Shut-up you little bitch." He mother snarls.

Bobby starts trying to break down the door and I slip road the back. Thankfully the back door is unlocked. I hurry through the kitchen into the lounge and what I see angers me a lot. Sarah is curled against the wall with her mother standing over her, there's an obvious slash across her face and her cheek is bruising badly, her shirt is pulled up to expose her flat stomach which is covered in blood from a large cut running the length of her abdomen.

"Sarah!" I shout, running towards the door, I quickly unlock it and Bobby comes rushing in. I know I can't do it without him. He grabs her mum and restrains her whilst I rush to Sarah's side.

"Sarah, keep looking at me. Don't close your eyes." I whisper frantically pulling my phone from my pocket and calling 911.


	4. Chapter 4

**Jack POV**

"How's she doing?" Ma asks me, she's holding two paper cups of steaming coffee from the hospital cafeteria. Sarah's in intensive care and I'm not allowed in until she wakes up.

"I'm not sure Ma, they won't tell me anything." I whisper.

"All in good time Jackie." Ma replies.

"Ma, I know I've only met this girl once but it feels like we have some kind o connection, you know?"

"Jackie, you've both been through hard times. You need to help each other.

**Sarah POV**

Beep... beep... beep... beep...

I wake up to the strange sound of a machine, I can feel things prodding into my arms. This doesn't feel like my room. I open my eyes and see a clean, white ceiling with bright lights glaring down at me and have to squint.

"Ah, good you're awake." I look over to see a middle-aged man with a clipboard standing at the end of my bed. "I'm Doctor Rasnad, do you remember what happened?"

"Um, well I tripped and fell down my stairs and I was holding a glass bottle and when I tried to stop myself with my hands it smashed on the floor and I cut my stomach and then I passed out." I lie, fingering the pale blue sheet on the bed.

"So this had nothing to do with your mother?" Doctor Rasnad asks me.

I plaster a shocked expression onto my face and glance up at the Doctor.

"No, why would you say that?" I asks innocently.

"It's just a question I had to ask. You've had 6 stitches in your stomach and 2 on your face. You have a concussion and we were afraid you might go into a coma so we put you in intensive care."

"How long have I been out?"

"3 days."

"Damn... is there anybody here?"

"Yes, Miss Evelyn Mercer and her son Jack Mercer are outside. Your mother is in the hospital being treated for depression so you will be going to stay with the Mercer's for a while. They'll explain about... everything..." Doctor Rasnad says.

After he's left a nurse comes in and helps me change into some sweat pants and a tank top before handing me my bag and walking me outside. I see the boy, Jack, that I ran into a few days ago and Miss Evie sitting in some chairs down the hallway.

As I walk out of the room Jack stands and walks to my side. His hair is still ultra messy and he's wearing ripped jeans.

"Let me take that." He says, taking my bag and leading me back to Miss Evie.

"Hello dear, how are you feeling?" Miss Evie asks me.

"Not too bad, it's all a blur really." I lie, not wanting to worry anyone.

**Jack POV**

When we get home I show Sarah to her room. It's right next door mine and only just fits a bed and small wardrobe inside it.

"Sorry it's so small, I'll swap if you want more room." I suggest to Sarah.

"No, no it's perfect. Thank you." I smile at the tall boy with the grey/blue eyes that are so full of past pain.

"Well, i'll be in my room if you need anything. It's right next door." I say, leaving Sarah to unpack her things.

About 2 hours after I showed Sarah to her room she appears in my doorway. I put down my guitar and look up at the beautiful girl standing in my room.

"You okay?" I ask.

"I- do you know where Andrew and my dad are?" She asks me, sitting down on the edge of my bed.

"When we got to your house it was only your mum and you there..." I start

"Where's Andrew?" She asks, her pink lips quivering.

"He, he left Sarah. The police found a note from him saying he'd left and he was going far away. He said he would think about you every day and that you were the best little sister anyone could have and he was sorry that he ignored you." I whisper, taking her small hand in mine.

A tear slides down her cheek and I pull her against my side.

"Don't cry Sarah, please don't cry." I murmur into her hair. She wraps her arms around my neck and cries.

"What about my Dad?" She asks.

"He, he um-"

"He killed himself didn't he? He left me and Andrew?" Sarah finishes for me. I slowly nod my head but her expression doesn't change.

"Sarah? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why did you defend your mother? She was going to kill you!"

"I- she's my mum!"

"Sarah" I groan.

"Promise me something? If you have to go back and live with her, you come to me if she ever lays a finger on you okay?"

"It was just a one time thing Jack, she was drunk-"

"Promise me Sarah?"

"Okay, I promise."

"Good."

**Sarah POV**

I've stayed with the Mercer's for two weeks now, I've gotten to know Bobby, Angel, Jeremiah and Miss Evie really well over the time I've been here. The boys are like brothers to me, well all of them apart from Jack.

Every time I'm around Jack I get butterflies in my stomach and I'm constantly blushing. Bobby keeps teasing me about it.

The nightmares have come every night since the hospital and I've put off going to see Jack. He told me to come see him about anything but I just feel so weak. I can hear Bobby, Angel and Jeremiah snoring down the hall as I slowly drift off to sleep.

Some time later I wake with a scream after a vivid memory of the night my mother attacked me. I quickly clap a hand over my mouth and attempt to stifle the sobs that rack my body.

Less that 30 seconds go by before Jack cracks open my door and slips into my room.

"Sarah? Sarah it's only me, it's Jack." He whispers sitting on the edge of my bed and rubbing my back.

"J-Jack, she was there and, and..." another violent sob attacks my body and Jack pulls me into his arms.

"Shh, shh I know. I know." He whispers into my hair, kissing the top of my head.

After a while I've stopped crying and Jack and I just sit there; me playing with his messy hair and him rubbing circles on the exposed skin at my waist.

"Jack?"

"Hmm." He replies, burying his face in my neck. I feel my pulse spike and I struggle to control my breathing.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" I sheepishly ask, looking down at my legs.

Jacks reply is to lie me down on my bed and curl up next to me, covering us both with the blanket.

"Thank you Jack." I whisper.

"Anytime"


End file.
